Jim Clark Motorsport Museum

The Jim Clark Motorsport Museum

Marking the 54th anniversary of Jim Clark’s historic win at the Indianapolis 500 this week, Scottish Borders Council, charity Live Borders and The Jim Clark Trust are delighted to be able to announce that the new Jim Clark Motorsport Museum in Duns will open to the public on Thursday 11 July 2019.

On 31 May 1965, Jim Clark won the Indianapolis 500, becoming the first driver to do the double of winning the famous American race and also the Formula One World Championship. He went on to win a second World Championship in 1965, and remains the only driver to win both in the same year.

The £1.6m museum project is being taken forward by the Council in partnership with Live Borders, The Jim Clark Trust and the Jim Clark Memorial Room Trust. Funding has come from the Council, the Heritage Lottery Fund, Museums Galleries Scotland and The Jim Clark Trust, the latter including a grant from the Fallago Environment Fund and individual donations from around the world.

The project has been almost five years in the planning and in just six weeks there will be a fantastic new museum open to the public which will really do justice to Jim Clark’s incredible achievements in the racing world and also his life as a Borders farmer. Shona Sinclair, Curator at charity Live Borders, added: “Jim’s replica Indianapolis 500 trophy will be on display in the new museum alongside new items, film footage and photographs to showcase Jim’s inspirational career.

In conjunction with the opening of the new museum, The Jim Clark Trust is working on the development of a tourist trail around the area, taking in locations associated with Jim Clark, such as historic racing venues and his grave at Chirnside Church.

The new museum will provide an expanded and dynamic exhibition space showcasing memorabilia and the trophy collection, two of Jim Clark’s race cars, new image galleries, film footage, interactive displays, technology and education zones.

The museum was officially opened by Jim Clark's lifetime friend, Sir Jackie Stewart, OBE, on 29th August 2019.

04.09.19

Photos courtesy of Scottish Borders Council/Tony Marsh